Anti-refluxive and trigone sparing internal ureteral stent

Abstract

A ureteral stent has an elongated body connecting a coiled, renal segment to a coiled, bladder end segment. In one embodiment of the present invention, the coiled, bladder end segment and a lower, intramural segment of the elongated body are provided as a first flap and a second flap. The lower, intramural segment is of such length as to extend through a patient's intramural ureteral, preferably 2-4 cm. In another embodiment of the present invention, the coiled, renal segment is provided in a first plane and the coiled, bladder end segment is provided in a second plane such that the first plane and the second plane are transverse with respect to one another.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A ureteral stent for facilitating drainage from a kidney to a bladder of a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body including a length sufficient to extend within a ureter from the kidney to the bladder, said elongated body having a proximal end and a distal end, said elongated body having a longitudinal axis extending from the proximal end to the distal end; 
 a coiled, renal segment extending from said proximal end of said elongated body, wherein said coiled, renal segment extends through a first plane extending laterally left or right from said elongated body such that the coiled, renal segment comprises a first coil that turns only in the first plane; 
 a coiled, bladder end segment extending from said distal end of said elongated body, wherein said coiled, bladder end segment extends through a second plane positioned substantially perpendicular to said first plane, wherein said coiled, bladder end segment is positioned anteriorly in relation to said first plane, wherein the coiled, bladder end segment comprises a second coil that turns only in the second plane, wherein said first plane and said second plane are off-set from one another such that said coiled, bladder end segment is not thrown onto the trigone during use and wherein said coiled, bladder end segment has only one coil that coils towards the proximal end; and 
 wherein the first coil coils around a first coil axis and the second coil coils around a second coil axis, wherein the first coil axis and the second coil axis are not parallel to the longitudinal axis. 
 
     
     
       2. The ureteral stent of  claim 1 , wherein said coiled, renal segment and said coiled, bladder end segment are formed from shape-memory material. 
     
     
       3. The ureteral stent of  claim 1 , wherein said elongated body has an upper, tubular body connected to said coiled, renal segment and a lower, intramural segment connected to said coiled, bladder end segment. 
     
     
       4. The ureteral stent of  claim 3 , wherein said lower, intramural segment is 2-4 cm in length. 
     
     
       5. A ureteral stent for facilitating drainage from a kidney to a bladder of a patient, comprising:
 an elongated body including a length sufficient to extend within a ureter from the kidney to the bladder, said elongated body having an upper, tubular body provided at a proximal end and a lower, intramural segment provided at a distal end; 
 a coiled, renal segment extending from said proximal end of said elongated body; and 
 a coiled, bladder end segment extending from said lower, intramural segment provided at the distal end of said elongated body; 
 said intramural segment and said coiled, bladder segment having a longitudinal axis and an outer diameter; 
 wherein said coiled, bladder end segment and said lower, intramural segment consist of two half segments forming a first flap and a second flap such that said first flap and said second flap are parallel to each other and are curved and coiled in the same direction adjacent to each other; 
 wherein said first flap and said second flap are uncoupled to each other at least along a portion of their length due to a slit extending through said intramural segment and said coiled, bladder segment, the slit having a width traversing the entire outer diameter of said intramural segment and said coiled, bladder segment. 
 
     
     
       6. The ureteral stent of  claim 5 , wherein said lower, intramural segment is of such length as to extend entirely through a patient's intramural ureter. 
     
     
       7. The ureteral stent of  claim 5 , wherein said first flap and said second flap are flat flaps or flat with a convex shape. 
     
     
       8. The ureteral stent of  claim 5 , wherein said first flap and said second flap each have a plurality of openings such that an opening in said first flap is offset from an opening in said second flap. 
     
     
       9. The ureteral stent of  claim 5 , wherein said first flap and said second flap extend the entire length of the coiled, bladder end segment.